9 signs your boss is a pushover — and what that means for you

Poor King Tommen definitely qualifies as a pushover in
"Game of Thrones."Helen
Sloan/HBO

You've got your boss wrapped around your little finger. You're
constantly talking around them. You're always get away with all
sorts of office shenanigans. At this point, you can pretty much
do anything you want at work.

Sweet deal, right?

Not really.

In most cases, having a pushover for a boss can be more
detrimental than beneficial. Weak-willed managers lack the
direction and leadership skills needed to, well, manage.
People with such dispositions rarely find themselves in the role
of boss, but some people do slip through the cracks.

These kinds of managers could indirectly but seriously be hurting
your professional development.

Here are some signs that your boss is a pushover:

1. They let employees walk all over them

This is one of the primary indications you're dealing with an
ineffective boss. Pushover managers don't stand up to their
employees and pretty much allow them to do whatever they want.

What this means for you: In the short term,
being able to push your manager around might seem like a benefit.
You could use this leverage for good or evil, but either way, it
might make you feel like you have more control in the office. In
reality, this tendency benefits problem employees more than it
does solid workers. Plus, it ensures that your team or workplace
lacks direction, which is a problem for everyone in the long run.

What this means for you: Playing favorites in
the office seriously jeopardizes everyone's morale and
productivity. Seriously, what's the point of trying if the
manager's pet gets all the accolades no matter what? On the other
hand, if you are the boss's favorite even though you're not
necessarily the top employee, you might be singled out for hate
from your coworkers.

3. They say 'sorry' a lot

What this means for you: You'll eventually get
sick of your boss's incessant stream of apologies. It'll render
the word "sorry" pretty much meaningless. Plus, it'll make them
look weak and timid and open up a power vacuum in the office.

4. They flee any kind of confrontation

Most people don't like fighting. Pushovers, however, can't handle
any sort of confrontation. They're simply not able to deal with
it. This can be a problem in a high stress office environment,
where competition and debate are just part of the company
culture.

What this means for you: If you're the one
having an argument with your boss, this might be to your
advantage. However, if you ever need your manager to have your
back or stand up for you, forget about it. They'd rather throw
you under the bus than deal with confrontation.

5. They don't handle problem employees

What this means for you: If you're a somewhat
decent employee working for an ineffective manager, prepare to
watch your worst coworkers have the run of the mill. It'll be
frustrating and they'll be little you can do about it, since your
boss is more concerned with avoiding confrontation than making
sure everyone is performing adequately.

6. They don't lead — they go with the flow

Pushover managers aren't looking to innovate or make your
workplace "great." They're all about cruising along and not
changing the status quo too much.
As Liz Ryan reported in Forbes, weak managers prefer to just
keep the higher ups happy and watch their subordinates do all the
actual work.

What this means for you: If your manager isn't
willing to lead you toward greatness, that's a problem for you.
It's not good for your professional development if you're able to
coast by with mediocre work for years. Plus, this bad attitude
towards leadership can cause your workplace to really stagnate
over time.

7. They only give positive feedback

Every time you meet with your boss for a check in, they have
nothing but praise for you. In many cases, that just means you're
doing a great job! However, with a pushover boss, it's not
sincere. They're just terrible at delivering less-than-wonderful
news.

What this means for you: It might feel great to
get good feedback, but constructive criticism is crucial too.
A "nice" boss can really hamper your professional development
by avoiding telling you what you need to work on to improve. As
Bloomberg TV anchor and Radiate CEO Betty Liu wrote
on LinkedIn, so-called "nice managers" have you thinking
you're doing great — right up until the point you're fired. "...
Your nice boss never had the guts to tell you what you really
needed to do to improve. Instead, he or she was concerned about
protecting your feelings. Except the truth is that your boss was
really protecting his or her own feelings."

8. They rarely say 'no'

When it comes to pleasing the higher ups, a pushover boss is much
more likely say "no problem" than "no," no matter how
unreasonable the request or suggestion.

What this means for you: Having an ineffective,
yes man boss can really make life miserable for their
subordinates. These kinds of managers simply can't say no to
these superiors, even at the expense of their own teams. Writing for
the Wall Street Journal, Jared Sandberg says: "Yes men create
a make-work marathon, darting goals and work-life imbalance. They
render their staffers as goose chasers, wasting time if not
company money. Everyone gets tired working for the yes man,
longing for a can't-do spirit."

9. They're indecisive

Pushovers can't make up their minds. Whenever they feel pulled in
multiple directions, they're unable to make a call about the
right way to go. They're simply too weak-willed to trust their
own opinions.

What this means for you: An indecisive boss is
not a great boss to have. Indecisive people take forever,
agonizing over the smallest of choices. If your boss is a
pushover, prepare to see your office's productivity crunch to a
near-standstill.